No Voodoo Doughnuts today (sad dad)! But back into Universal Studios early this morning to have breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron.
After breakfast we headed back into the Springfield to re-ride Kang & Kodo's Twirl & Hurl, and over to ET Adventure for another spin.
We did a full lap of the park before ending up back in King's Cross Station, where we boarded the Hogwart's Express from platform 9 3/4. Not much of a wait for this quick trip over to the Islands of Adventure. The ride itself was amazing as usual. From the swooshing noise as you walk between platforms 9 and 10, to the carriages that had a video screen as a window showing you the whole way to Hogwarts (out of London, into the Countryside, through the Forbidden Forest, to eventually meet Hagrid at the school). While the doorway showed shadows of Harry, Ron & Hermoine and other Harry Potter characters (good and evil) talking throughout the trip.
You arrive in Hogsmead, and after a quick butter beer we road the Hippogriff - a much gentler roller coaster (much to Leland's relief).
Hogwarts
It is now Saturday, and a day before the Pro Bowl is being played in Orlando, so the park is packed. Crowds have being increasing each day but today is more than I can take. Fortunately we got on a couple of rides early and the family is happy to just take everything in and enjoy the good weather.
Never a more appropriate picture
We caught the Hogwarts Express back to Universal Studios and wandered around that park again, stopping at Bumblebee Man's Taco Truck in Springfield for a quick lunch.
Again we left earlier than I expected, but it is a bit warmer today, and the kids are keen to get back in the pool. By late afternoon we decided to stay in the hotel and had dinner at Amatista Cookhouse. I barely made it through dinner as I have started to come down with some sort of bug.
Overall it has been great stay. I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy it here, but A & I had a blast, and that is boosted by the fact the the boys' heads exploded everyday. Yes, the resort will take you for every dollar they can, but you don't care. So much detail is put into everything to make it special for everyone, you can't but help just hand over your wallet. Having said that, when L asked if we could come back next year, A & I were happy to let him know that maybe he could come back one day with his own kids.
P.S. On the last night I started to feel unwell at dinner. I ended leaving dinner early and headed straight to bed. By the next morning it was a real struggle just to make it to the airport. I got on the plane and was asleep before take off and had to be woken up when we landed. I was so ill at this stage, I couldn't drive home. I got home and went into the spare bedroom and barely came out for a week. Never have I felt so unwell. Night sweats, delirious temperatures, vomiting and just general exhaustion (I couldn't walk upstairs to the shower without sitting down at the top). At the time we jokingly called it the Orlando Virus, but what we learned over the next few months was this was Covid 19. And considering the devastation that this global disease caused, I can be thankful just to pull through that rough week.
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